Motherhood, A Walk with An Open Mind

“The art of healing comes from nature and not from the physician. Therefore, the physician must start from nature with an open mind.” Paracelsus

As Paracelsus reminds us, the heart and “art of healing comes from nature”; approached, explored, investigated; with an open mind. And so it is in Motherhood! The heart and art of which is equally addressed through investigation and exploration. And always approached with an open mind.

Like a walk in the woods, Motherhood takes us on an adventure into often-uncharted territories, new experiences, with a multitude of surprises along the way. We may feel that we know these woods, because we have read the accounts written by those that have gone before us, or we have peered in from the periphery, carefully planning our walk, complete with acceptable rest stops.

And yet, once we have entered, we may begin to feel a bit lost, uncertain of exactly where we are going and completely mystified as to how we will get there. The trails are steeper, the turns tighter, the shadows a bit darker than expected.

And so begins our exploration and investigation, not so much of what lies “out there” as of what lies “within”. Motherhood is our daily opportunity, to open our minds, to explore the hidden trails and emerge into the open meadows. To lie in the fields of flowers, bees buzzing above, butterflies dancing on invisible breezes and breathe from the very heart of ourSelves.

Motherhood is the art of walking into the Nature of ourSelves, and that must start with an open mind. We sit by the still pond, watching the ripples of a fallen leaf, and in that moment, in that pause, we remember who we are, and we begin again.

To Begin Again: I like to encourage people to create a picture; a beautiful, colorful image that just fills them with excitement and joy. A giggly, tickle running up the spine kind of picture and spend time focusing on and feeling that picture every single day. Many times a day in fact, if you really feel inspired and want to smell the blossoms of the meadow!

Why a picture? Why not a long dialogue about what we would like to change about ourselves and our lives? Well, that answer begins with understanding our brain. Within our brain we have two distinct lobes, completely separate except for a communication passageway known as the corpus callosum.

Jump to the Right: Our right lobe, the seat of our Self, the place of wonder and awe and magnificence only works in pictures and feelings. Scientists confirm that this area of the brain has no language centers, has no linear thinking, it just sees in vivid, living color and responds with feelings.

So this is an invitation to “Jump to the Right”, as I like to say. Feeling a little discouraged and sad? Spend 90 seconds feeling that sadness; that discouragement, that disappointment. Neuro-anatomist Dr. Jill Bolte-Taylor tells us that 90 seconds is exactly how long the chemicals released by your brain, in response to those feelings, are actually circulating through your bloodstream. And unless you allow your left lobe to conjure up stories and recount memories of past experiences that felt the same, or speculate on future scenarios that will keep these chemicals pumping; after 90 seconds, the way has actually become clear and a smile, a pause and a “Jump to the Right” will begin the cascade of new “feel good” chemicals that become the place-finder for ourSelves.

Our Children; Our Selves: As Mothers, that picture and feeling of Love, of Joy and of Peace is often sitting on our lap, or playing at our feet. It is alive and well in the wide-eyed enthusiasm of our child. It lives and breathes in each moment of their exploration and discovery of a world that is brand new. Through them, we begin again!

An open mind is a wonderful thing. It is full of light and has a front row seat on the Field of Infinite Possibilities and Potential. Let’s play in that field as Mothers, and be the change that we wish to see for our children and the world!